Safety razor



Jan. 23, 1968 Fe. 1 PERRY 3,364,571

v SAFETY RAZOR 3 Sheets-Sheet l Filed April l0, 1967 @gli R. i.. PERRY Jan. 23, 1968 SAFETY RAZOR 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April lO, 1967 Jan. 23, 1968 R. L. PERRY 3,364,571

SAFETY RAZOR Filed April lO, 1967 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 l ne L .4 8 60 vFIG 8B United States Patent Ollce 3,364,571 Patented Jan. 23, 1968 3,364,571 SAFETY RAZR Roger Leslie Perry, Lynneld Center, Mass., assigner to The Gillette Company, Boston, Mass., a corporation of Delaware Filed' Apr. 10, 1967, Ser. No. 629,619 17 Claims. (Cl. 30--63) ABSTRACT GF THE DSCLSURE A safety razor magazine houses a razor blade band having a shaving platform for supporting a shaving length of the band and a guard bar positioned in front of the platform. The guard bar has two rearwardly extending projections which engage an actuating plate secured between a guide plate and the back of the magazine holder. The actuating plate is pressed against an inclined carnmint7 surface formed in the holder back and is moved generally vertically by a rotatable drive disc. The actuating plate thus has a component of motion in the horizontal direction as it is moved vertically and moves the guard bar as a result to adjust the shaving geometry.

Summary of invention This invention related to safety razors of the type that employ a continuous ribbon-like blade in an arrangement in which successive lengths of the blade may be sequentially advanced into shaving position by the user, and more particularly to a blade magazine construction for use in such razors which incorporates an arrangement allowing adjustment of the shaving geometry of the razor.

lt is frequently desirable to p'rovide a construction in a safety razor which enables the user to adjust the shaving geometry (the relationship between the sharpened edge of the razor blade as exposed in the blade holder with respect to the shaving guard and/or the clamping cap) to suit his individual preferences and/ or shaving requirements. A number of unique problems arise in connection with a ribbon type razor construction however. For example, as the major components that affect shaving geometry are part of the replaceable componentthe magazine-the production cost of the adjustable feature to the extent that it is incorporated in the replaceable component must be minimized in order to be economically competitive. The adjustment should be easy to make and permit a wide ranve of shaving geometries while not creatinfy any potentially hazardous condition for the user.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a novel and improved ribbon-type razor blade magazine structure which provides adjustable and yet precise shaving geometry configuration.

Another object of the invention is to provide a novel and improved shaving geometry adjustment arrangement in a ribbon type razor blade magazine which is easy and safe to use and which permits adjustment of the shaving geometry over a wide range of values.

A further object of the invention is to provide novel and improved ribbon type razor blade magazine construction incorporating a shaving geometry adjustment arrangement tnat is economically adaptable to high volume production techniques, both in the manufacture of the magazine components and in the assembly of those components into a magazine unit.

In accordance with the invention there is provided a ribbon razor blade magazine for use in a razor construction that employs a holder member adapted to removably receive the magazine. A continuous ribbon-like razor blade that includes several shaving portions in a series is housed in the magazine. The magazine includes structure that defines a blade supply position, a blade take up position, and a blade path that extends between the supply position and the take up position. The structure defining the blade path includes a blade support platform which defines a shaving zone for receiving and supporting a shaving length of blade in shaving position. The magazine structure further includes a blade guard structure that is movable relative to the blade support platform in a direction parallel to that platform. The blade guard structure extends in generally parallel, spaced relation to and is disposed forwardly and downwardly from the blade support platform and includes a rearwardly facing actuating surface and a guide surface that extends parallel to the blade support platform. The actuating surface is engaged by a camming member having a cam surface whose position in an engagement with the actuating member traverses in a horizontal direction to impose a corresponding movement on the blade guard structure for adjusting the shaving geometry of the razor.

In a preferred embodiment the blade guard structure is formed integrally with and connected to the magazine wall by an imperforate hinge element, and the actuating member is formed in the holder member. This actuating member is guided for vertical movement and engages an inclined, fixed camming surface formed in holder structure so that vertical movement of the actuating member produces a concurrent horizontal component of movement which is transmitted by the guard structure actuating surface to the blade guide to adjust the shaving geometry of the razor. Other forms of camming members, such as a face cam may be utilized to produce a horizontal cornponent of motion.

The guard structure, being formed integrally with the cover of the magazine, provides a sealed structure that prevents entrance of contaminants to the blade supply chamber while the flexible web portion permits ready adjustment of shaving geometry yet is of suilcient resilience to return the guard structure to a preset nominal shaving position upon removal of the magazine from the holder. Thus the preferred arrangement permits a shaving geometry setting to be selected by the user and each blade magazine is automatically placed in that selected geometry merely on insertion of the magazine into the razor holder. The invention permits adjustment of the shaving geometry of the razor over a Wide range of values in an arrangement which is compact, easy to operate with precision and certainty, relatively inexpensive to manufacture and compatible f or manufacture by high volume mass production techniques.

Other objects, features and advantages of the invention will be seen as the following description of a particular embodiment thereof progresses, in conjunction with the drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective View of components of a safety razor holder and magazine constructed in accordance with the invention;

FIG. 2 is a top view of the razor holder and magazine assembly, components of which are shown in FIG. l;

FIG. 3 is a sectional View of the magazine and holder assembly taken along the line 3 3 of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective rear view of components of the magazine and holder shown in FIG. 1;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view, with parts broken away of the adjusting dial employed in the razor holder shown in FIGS, 1-4;

FIG. 6 is a front elevational view of the holder;

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing details of the adjustment structure of the holder; and

FIGS. 8A and 8B are enlarged sectional views taken generally along the line 8--8 of FIG. 2 showing a range of adjustment of the shaving geometry produced with the magazine construction shown in FIGS. 1-4.

Description of particular embodiment There is shown in FIG. 1 a holder structure 10 generally of the type disclosed in the Nissen Patent No. 3,262,198 adapted to receive a razor blade magazine 12. The magazine is manufactured of an acetal plastic sold under the trade name Celcon which is capable of being subjected to repeated deformation stresses. The magazine includes a back member 14 having a generally planar base portion 16 in which is formed a supply chamber defined by cylindrical wall 18 which receives a coil of shaving blade band 20. Adjacent the upper end of the magazine base 14 is formed a horizontally extending planar blade support platform 22 and adjacent the opposite end of base 16 is a circular aperture 24 adapted to rotatably receive blade take up arbor 26. Arbor 26 has a slot therein which receives a tab crimped on the end of blade strip (similar to tab 28) which secures the end of strip 20 to arbor 26. The blade band 20 extends from the supply chamber defined by wall 18, in a path of the general conguration as indicated in FIG. 1, over a guide surface 30 formed at one end of blade support platform 22, along the blade support platform to a second guide surface 32 formed at the opposite end of platform 22 and then to take up arbor 26. The blade element 20 in this embodiment is a strip of stainless steel 0.0015 inch in thickness and 0.1895 inch in width having a sharpened front edge 34 and an unsharpened rear edge 36.

Formed at the rear end of the blade support platform 22 at either end thereof is a vertical pad 40, the surface of which provides a guide for the rear edge 36 of blade band 20. Disposed above the blade support platform and extending forward over that platform are a series of four spaced tabs 42 which act as guides contributing to the definition of the path of the blade 20 through the shaving zone as defined by the blade support platform 22. Below the blade support platform is a horizontal wiping surface 44, two spaced apertures 46, 48 and a central guide aperture 50.

The magazine cover 60 has a front wall in which is formed an aperture 62 and side walls 64, 66. At the upper end of each side wall is formed an in turned latching tab 68 which engages the back member 14 of the magazine and below tab 68 is a convex guide surface 70 which guides the blade strip 20 from supply chamber 18 to shaving zone end guide surface 30. A complementary convex side guide surface 70 FIG. 4 guides the blade strip from the shaving zone end guide 32 to the take up arbor 26. Formed integrally with the cover 60 at the upper end of its front wall is a blade guard bar 80 that is connected to the main front wall by a exible web section 82. Between the guard bar 80 and the web 82 is structure that denes horizontal wiping surface 84 that engages surface 44 of the back 14. Debris release slots are defined by spacer tabs 86., the center one of which is received in guide slot 50. These slots allow release of soap and/or water which might accumulate during shaving while the wiping surface arrangement prevents passage of such debris into the blade supply chamber defined by wall 18. Also formed integrally with the blade guard bar structure are two rearwardly projecting arms 90, 92 which pass through slots 46, 48 respectively. Auxiliary arms 94, which project rearwardly from the front Wall of the magazine cover just above apertures 62 enter guide apertures 96 formed in base 14 to provide auxiliary restraint against vertical movement of the cover 60 relative to the base 14.

Arbor 26 (FIG. 1) has a stub shaft 98 on which is positioned an indicator disc 10d having a series of gear teeth 102 on its outer periphery and a series of numbers 104 on its face. This indicator disc cooperates with gear teeth 106 (FIG. 4) formed in the rear surface of the front wall of cover 60, which teeth are arranged so that a complete revolution of arbor 26 produces a fraction of a rotation of disc 109 so that a number 184, indicative of the number of shaving blades used, is visible through aperture 62 in the face of cover 60.

The holder 1t) includes a head 110 having a forwardly projecting lip 112 adapted to engage the blade 211 and hold it firmly in position on shaving platform 22 when magazine 12 is positioned in the holder. Slots 114 in head 110 receive the hold down tabs 42. The body portion 116 of the holder has mounted on it an advancing lever 118 which carries a horizontally projecting shaft 120 that engages and rotates arbor 26 when the magazine is secured in the holder by latch structure 122. A guide plate 130, secured on the front surface of the body 116, has a projecting ridge surface 132 which guides the magazine 12 into proper position in the holder for properly clamping the blade 20 against lip 112. Interposed between guide plate and body 116 is a T-shaped actuating plate 134. The upper horizontal member 136 has cam ridge surfaces 138 formed at either end. The depending body 140 has a resilient tongue 142 pressed out of its center portion and at its base an offset tab 144 that extends horizontally. Two guide tabs 150, pressed out of the body of guide plate 130 engage and guide the parallel sides of body 140 of actuating plate 134. Guide plate 130 further includes a recessed slot 152 that receives tongue 142.

Secured between holder body 116 and advancing lever 118 is shaving geometry adjustment disc 160. That disc, as indicated in FIG. 5, has a convoluted peripheral surface 162 and a spiral camming groove 164 in which tab 144 of camming member 134 is received. In the base of groove 164 is formed a series of notches 166 which receive the end of tab 144 and act as positioning detents. The assembled relation of these components are indicated in FIGS. 6 and 7.

In assembled condition cam ridge surfaces 138 of actuating plate 134 are biased against inclined surfaces of holder body 116 and the front surface of transverse member 136 engages the ends of tab projecting arms 90, 92 when the magazine 12 is latched in position in holder 10.

An enlarged view of the shaving geometry configuration of this razor structure is indicated in FIG. 8A and an adjusted position is indicated in FIG. 8B (with the corresponding normal position of the surface of guard bar 80 indicated in a dashed line in FIG. 8B). Shaving geometry involves a set of interrelated dimensions which include the distance E that the sharpened edge 34 of blade 20 projects in a distance perpendicular to the line (which extends between the uppermost edge of lip 112 and the tangent surface of guard bar 80) herein termed exposure; the tangent angle A between line 182 (the plane of blade 20) and line 184 (a line tangent to the surface of guard 80 and the sharpened edge 34 of blade 20); and spanj the distance S between the sharpened edge 34 of blade 20 and the tangent point on the surface of guard 80 as indicated by lines 186 and 188.7Rotation of disc 160 moves actuating member 134 inV a direction perpendicular to blade support platform 22, but, due to the engagement of camming surfaces 138 with inclined surfaces 170, the transverse portion 136 of actuating member 134 has a horizontal component of movement which is communicated via arms 90, 92 in engagement with portion 136 to move guard bar 80, as allowed by the resilience of web 82, in a horizontal direction along the path indicated in FIG. 8B. Movement of the guard structure to the position shown in FIG. 8B changes the shaving geometry characteristics as indicated by the corresponding primed reference numerals and has a significant effect on the comfort and/or shaving efiiciency of this razor construction.

In a particular embodiment the blade guard bar 80 is permitted horizontal movement of approximately 0.035 inch. In the minimum tangent angle position (a blade tangent angle of 22), the blade span is 0.060 inch and the blade exposure is 0.000 inch. In the maximum tangent angle position (a tangent angle of 36) the blade span is 0.058 inch, and the blade exposure is 0.006 inch.

Thus it will be seen that the invention provides a compact, reliable magazine structure for holding an elongated razor blade, which structure, in conjunction with the holder, permits adjustment of shaving geometry over a wide range of values in coordinated relation and with ease and precision. While a particular embodiment of the invention has been shown and described, modifications thereof will be apparent to those skilled in the art and therefore it is not intended that the invention be limited to the disclosed embodiment or to details thereof and departures may be made therefrom within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined in the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. For use in a safety razor, a magazine member adapted to be received in a holder member, said magazine member adapted to store a ribbon-like blade of uniform width having a longitudinally extending rear edge and a parallel sharpened front edge,

said magazine member comprising structure defining a blade supply position, a blade take up position, and a blade path extending between said supply position and said take up position, said structure defining said blade path including a blade support platform which defines a shaving zone for receiving a shaving length of blade in supporting position with the sharpened edge of the blade projecting beyond the front edge of said support platform,

said support platform structure including a guide surface,

a blade guard structure extending in generally parallel spaced relation to the front edge of said blade support platform,

said blade guard structure including a guide surface engaging said platform guide surface for guiding relative movement between said guard structure and said support platform in a direction parallel to said blade support platform for adjusting shaving geometry of the safety razor,

structure for stabilizing the position of said guard structure relative to said platform structure to provide a set shaving geometry configuration during a shaving operation,

and take up mechanism coupled to said take up position for advancing a blade stored in said magazine member to position a sequence of shaving portions of said blade on said blade support platform.

2. The magazine member as claimed in claim 1 wherein said blade supply position defining structure and said support platform structure are formed in a base member which includes a wiping surface extending parallel to said support platform and further including a cover structure disposed over said blade supply position defining structure, said cover structure including a cooperative guide surface which engages said wiping surface of said base to provide a barrier between said blade supply position and said support platform.

3. The magazine member as claimed in Claim 1 wherein said magazine member includes a base member in which said support platform structure is formed and a cover member secured to said base member in which blade guard structure is formed, said blade guard structure being connected to the main portion of said cover member by a flexible hinge.

4. The magazine member as claimed in claim 1 for use in a holder member having a head portion and an actuating member movable relative to said head portion, and further including an actuating member engaging portion for adjusting the shaving geometry of the safety razor under the influence of said actuating member.

5. The combination as claimed in claim 4 wherein said actuating member engaging portion moves said guard structure relative to said shaving platform.

6. The combination as claimed in claim 5 wherein said actuating member engaging pontion is a rearwardly extending member formed integrally with said guard structure.

7. The combination as claimed in claim 6 wherein said magazine member includes a base member in which said support platform structure is formed and `a cover member secured to said base member in which blade guard structure is formed, said blade guard structurebeing connected to the main portion of said cover member by a exible hinge.

8. The combination as claimed in claim 7 wherein said blade supply position defining structure .and said support platform structure are formed in a base member which includes ya wiping surface extending parallel to said support platform and 'further including a cover structure disposed over said blade supply position defining struct-ure, said cover structure including a cooperative lguide surface which engages said wiping surface of said base to provide -a barrier between said blade supply position and said support platform.

9. The combination as claimed in claim 4 and further including a manually adjustable mem-ber carried by said holder member head portion for moving said actuating member.

10. The combination as claimed in claim 9 wherein said manually adjustable member includes detent structure for fixing said :actuating member yin position independently of the position of said magazine relative to said holder.

11. The combination as claimed in claim 10 wherein said holder member includes an inclined camming surface and said actuating member is a plate member held in engagement with said camming surface and is recip rocable by said manually adjustable member in a drection ygenerally perpendicular to said support platform, so that a component of motion of said actuating member in a direction generally panallel tosaid support platform is produced in response to movemen-t of said manually :adjustable member.

12. The combination as claimed in claim 11 wherein said holder member includes a 'guide plate for guiding said magazine member into proper position relative to the head of said holder member and said actuating plate member is positioned between said guide plate and said camming surface.

13. The combination as claimed in claim 12 wherein said holder includes a lever structure adapted to be coupled to said take -up mechanism when said magazine member is l-atched in position in said holder member and said manually adjustable member is mounted for rotation about the same axis as said lever structure.

14. The combination as claimed in claim 13 wherein said blade supply position defining structure and said support platform structure are formed in a base member which includes `a wiping surface extending parallel to said support platform and further including a cover structure disposed over said lblade supply position defining struct-ure, said cover structure including a cooperative guide surface which engages said wiping surface of said base to provide a barrier between said blade supply position and said support platform.

1S. The combination as claimed in 4claim 14 wherein said magazine member includes a base member in which said support platform structure is formed and a cover member secured to said base member in which blade yguard structure is formed, said blade guard structure References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 3,111,756 11/1963 Kruger et al 30-63 3,203,093 8/1965 Kuhnl 30-63 3,262,337 '7/1966 Nissen.

MILTON S. MEHR, Primary Examiner. 

